The old firm of Ivan Cleary and James Maloney returned to their old Mt Smart Stadium stomping ground - this time with Penrith Panthers - to inflict a heartbreaking 19-18 loss on the NZ Warriors.
Cleary was coach last time the home team made the NRL Grand Final in 2011, with Maloney as his on-field general. Little has changed in the ensuing eight years, except their jerseys - and the Warriors' fortunes.
The irascible half steered his latest outfit back from 10 points - and two players - down, kicking a conversion to edge his side ahead with two minutes remaining in regulation time.
Warriors centre Patrick Herbert coolly slotted a penalty in the dying seconds to send the contest into extra time, but Maloney wasn't to be denied, missing his first drop-goal attempt, but nailing his second from closer range for victory.
That didn't look likely early in the second half, when five-eighth Jerome Luai joined second-rower Liam Martin in the sin bin and within seconds, the 11-man Panthers fell behind by double figures to a miraculous corner-flag try from David Fusitu'a.
Somehow, the flying Warriors wing tiptoed down the touchline and grounded the ball in the corner - an act of gymnastics that left even the bunker officials incredulous.
Maloney argued strenuously with the Luai binning, continuing to push his case, even after Fusitu'a's try, and referee Gerard Sutton's dismissal of his pleas only seemed to fire him up more.
With Martin restored to the line-up, still-shorthanded Penrith closed the gap with a try to centre Brent Naden, who outjumped Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to steal Maloney's delicately weighted lob kick on the goal-line.
The Warriors defended staunchly and seemed to have survived the storm, as they pressured the Penrith line with moments remaining.
But off the last tackle of a set, the ball bounced to Naden inside his own 20m line and he hared upfield, barely beating Tuivasa-Sheck and Fuistu'a to the try-line.
Maloney slotted the conversion for the lead, but from a short kickoff from Warriors centre Patrick Herbert, the Panthers knocked on and Maloney regathered from an offside position.
Herbert was up to the task, find his target on the angle and the contest head to extra time.
Maloney had the first golden-point attempt, hooking a field goal left with his first attempt. Down the other end, Blake Green barely connected with his only shot, before it was charged down.
From the rebound, Penrith make good ground upfield and presented Maloney with perfect position - 25m out and straight in front - for his matchwinner.
The result leaves the Warriors with just five wins from 14 games, now four points off the top eight in 12th. This is the first time they've lost five straight home games since 2005.
They now hit the road for games against Newcastle Knights next Saturday and the Brisbane Broncos the following Saturday.
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